


Warm Kitty

by NYWCgirl



Series: Soft Kitty verse [4]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fire, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-18
Updated: 2015-03-18
Packaged: 2018-03-18 11:40:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3568322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal transforms into a kitten during a larceny case.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warm Kitty

**Author's Note:**

> A short story in the Soft kitty verse, and inspired because I had to refresh my fire fighter/rescue training this week.  
> Orginally posted on September 13th 2014.  
> Warning: none I guess, maybe if you are triggered by fires. Pic can be found on LJ: http://nywcgirl.livejournal.com/3984.html

Peter and Neal were working an insurance fraud case. Their suspect would buy empty real estate that didn´t have a permit to be torn down and then miraculously the building would burn down and he would get a permit to rebuild the building. He had done it twice before, when the case was sent to the WC division.

They had heard that he had bought a building and the White Collar team had been on a stakeout all week to catch whoever was going to torch the building. A couple of homeless people had entered the building and Peter had been in dubio whether or not to get them out of there, when they saw a suspicious figure entering the building from the back, it was probably their arconist.

Peter told Neal to stay put in the van and snuck out of the van, and headed to the building. Neal being Neal, quickly had followed Peter, despite Jones´ protest.

 

When Neal caught up with Peter, Peter looked annoyed.

´What are you doing here, Neal, I told you to stay in the van.´ Peter hissed.

´Yeah, well, you probably could use my help. You get the arconist, I will get the people out.´ Neal said quickly and quietly moved away where they had last seen the homeless.

Neal found them quickly and assisted them out of the building where they met up with NYPD officers, who would take them to a shelter. Neal quickly ran into the building again to meet up with Peter.

However, when he entered the building, Neal could see, that they were probably too late and that the whole building was rigged to go ablaze at any moment. He needed to find Peter and get the hell out of here.

Neal heard footsteps, so quickly made his way over to where he had heard them and from a distance he recognized Peter. But it weren´t Peter´s footsteps he had heard. Peter was tied to a chair and was looking around stunned. And the footsteps were now running away from them. Neal almost reached Peter when the fire started and they were suddenly surrounded by it.

´Peter´, Neal shouted.

Peter turned just in time to see Neal transform again. Not now… Peter thought. He looked around himself and all he could see was fire. The heat was unbelievable. He started coughing. Peter´s mind was reeling, he needed to get out, he needed to do something, but all he could see was fire, there was no exit. Neal couldn´t help him untie himself, so he had to rely on himself.

 

*  *  *

 

The moment Neal had left the van, he had shouted to Jones to call the fire department, just in case. Jones had just gotten off the phone when he saw the fire. He could only hope that Peter and Neal had already left the building, as they weren´t wearing a wire or mic.

Jones called the fire department again to inform them that they now had a real fire and it wasn´t a precaution anymore. He could already hear the sirens in the distance.

When the first engine arrived, Jones quickly explained what was going on to the commander and they prepared to enter the building.

 

*  *  *

 

´Neal, come here, you will get hurt´ Peter wanted to shout but it sounded more like a croak. The oxygen was rapidly depleting and Peter tried frantically to get out of the zip ties and looked around to find a way out. But it was so hot and he couldn´t think straight anymore. He needed to do something, but … he vision was narrowing and breathing was becoming really difficult.

Neal looked over to Peter and started meowing, he needed to get help and get out of here, but there was fire everywhere and he was also getting tired. It was so warm and it hurt to breath. Everything looked so big and there was nowhere out as far as he could see. And Peter had stopped moving, that was not good. He meowed, but that made him cough. With his last strength he climbed Peter´s legs and curled up on top of Peter´s lap because there was no way he could do anything and Peter had kept him safe before. He stayed on top of Peter until he too lost consciousness and that is how they were found by the fire fighters.

 

*  *  *

 

Luckily Peter and Neal were still downstairs close to an exit when the fire started, so the fire fighters found them rather quickly. Peter was carried out by a couple of them and brought to an awaiting ambulance and one took Neal with him to the engine. When they came out of the building, Jones asked for Neal. They had gotten Peter out but where was Neal? He asked the fire fighters, but they assured him, there was nobody else on that floor and they were searching the rest of the building right now.

Peter was escorted to an ambulance and taken to hospital; he was a bit flushed by the heat and was suffering from smoke inhalation, so they took him to hospital as a precaution.

The fire fighter that had taken Neal, gently placed the unconscious kitten on the ground and took an oxygen tank and placed the mask before Neal´s muzzle. He also poured some water over his body to cool him off because he was radiating heat. It worked and within a couple of minutes, Neal was coming to and let out a small whimper. He was shivering and the fire fighter who had saved him bundled him up in some paper towels.

´Hey there little fellow, guess, you lost one of your nine lives there´. He smiled.

 

*  *  *

 

The first thing Peter did when he regained consciousness, was asking where Neal was. The EMT who was standing outside, told Peter that they hadn´t found him and that Jones had asked for him. Peter asked the EMT to send Jones over to the ambulance, so soon after Jones came jogging towards him.

´I took Neal off the anklet for the op, and send him home because he couldn´t wait in the van.´ Peter explained, ´tell the rescuers. And where is the kitten hat was found with me?´

´I saw it with one of the rescuers.´ Jones answered.

´Can you make sure it is OK?´

´Off course, boss.´

A couple of minutes later, Jones came back with the kitten wrapped in some old clothes the fire fighters had used to dry Neal off.

He was looking anxiously at all the humans and commotion and startled by the loud noises.

´Can he come with us?´ Peter asked the EMT.

´Sorry, sir, we cannot permit animals in the ambulance, he can´t come.´ The EMT said apologetic. ´Jones, can you get El and drive her to the hospital to meet me, I don´t want her to worry, take the kitten with you, she will take care of it.´

Jones took the shivering ball of now dirty fur with him to Brooklyn. An hour later, he stopped in front of the hospital and dropped El off; she told him they would get a taxi home, so he went to the office to wrap things up.

 

´Hi hon, how are you doing?´

Peter opened his eyes and smiled. ´Hi hon.´

´The doctor told me that you are fine and that there is no injury and that your saturation is fine, so if you are feeling up to it, you will be discharged tonight.´ El explained.

´How is Neal doing?´

´He is fine, a little bit worse for wear, but doing OK, he left him in his cat bed and Satchmo is watching him, so he will be OK.´

´Good, now I think will close my eyes a bit. Will you stay?´

´Wild horses, hon, wild horses…´

 


End file.
